View full sizeGen Psych received unanimous approval in September to turn an existing office building into a 13-bed inpatient drug rehabilitation center.Google Maps

LEBANON TWP. — A judge has upheld approval of an application to convert an office building here into a drug addiction treatment center.

A lawsuit was filed by residents opposed to the application. Judge Peter Buchsbaum issued a written opinion which was posted online on June 24, entering judgment in favor of the Planning Board and GenPsych.

Gen Psych received unanimous approval in September 2011 to turn the existing office building into a 13-bed inpatient drug rehabilitation center.

Attorney William Courtney filed the complaint on Feb. 23, 2012, on behalf of residents Adam, Lisa and Judie Ambielli; Erica and Cindy Zobian; Kim and Deirdre Parker; and Frances Stasick.

The Planning Board, the township and the applicant, Gen Psych, are named as defendants.

The lawsuit argued that the Board of Adjustment should have heard the application for an addiction rehab center, not the Planning Board.

In his ruling, Buchsbaum wrote: "this Court finds that the Board properly exercised its authority to interpret the Ordinance and conclude that it includes private hospitals as permissible institutional uses. Furthermore, the Board properly determined that the proposed facility constitutes a private hospital. The Ordinance is severable and the Board properly severed the negative criteria language of the Ordinance."

Buchsbaum's ruling continued: "The October 4, 2011, informal concept review meeting was proper. GenPsych was not obligated to seek review or Ordinance interpretation prior to contacting the Planning Board."